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Product Description

Ultra Thin Solid Stave Constructed Shells

The Archetype Series is the Hendrix Drums Flagship line and is arguably the best sounding drum line that money can buy. From the raw lumber to the finished product, each drum is meticulously hand crafted in our Hendrix Drums custom workshop. One set of hands builds, finishes, edges, drills, assembles, and tunes up every drum that leaves the shop. We use only the highest rated kiln dried lumber and complete every step of the build process in a climate controlled environment to ensure perfect precision from start to finish. There is not a better built drum available drum on the market. Archetype Series drum sets are completely customizable and will be an instrument that can be passed down for generations.

Ultra Thin Solid Stave Shells

The combination of shells made from solid wood in its natural unaltered state coupled with an extra thin shell wall produces unhindered pure wood tones, an extra wide tuning range, faster tonal response to light playing, a naturally low fundamental note, and incredible projection. There is no other way to build drum shells that will consistently sound and perform as good as our ultra thin solid stave shells.

Polyester Mirror Gloss and Satin Finish

Archetype snares and kits are available in two types of finishes; Mirror Gloss and Satin. The high gloss finish you see is not a "lacquer" finish; it is actually a polyester finish. True lacquer finishes are quite soft and can damage very easily. We use polyester for several reasons: it is very hard, so it is much more durable than lacquer, and the mirror gloss shine that it produces can't be beat. Admittedly this stuff is extremely expensive and difficult to work with but HD is all about the best, which meant polyester was the only way to go for our gloss finishes. Our satin finish gives the drums a classy vintage vibe and is also not made with traditional lacquer. It is made from a much more durable finishing product, but we can't give away the secret of exactly what it is...

Progressive Bearing Edges

The shape of the bearing edge plays a large role in the sound of each drum. So we alter the shape or the bearing edge according to the size and function of each drum. By doing this we are able to get the optimum sound from each type of drum. The Archetype snare drums are piercing and open, the toms are projecting, cutting, and full, and the kick drums are thunderous and punchy.

S-Hoops

Every Archetype drum is equipped with S-Hoops on the top and bottom. S-Hoops bring the best aspects of flanged hoops and die-cast hoops together. They are rolled steel, like flanged hoops, so they are naturally resonant and allow the drum to remain very open and full bodied. They are also rigid like a die-cast hoop, so they generate loud cracking rim shots and cross sticks, but don't weigh down and choke the drum like a die-cast hoop would. Many major brands are trying to mimic the S-Hoop with their own versions, and for good reason, but we feel the S-Hoop still remains the best.

HD Solid Aluminum Distance Adjustable Chrome Lugs

The proprietary HD lug is a small single point lug. The lug body is machined from solid aluminum, as opposed to being cast from steel as most lugs are. The idea behind this lug design was to create a lug that would cause as little hindrance to the shells' resonance as possible. The solid aluminum body allows vibrations to pass through the lugs very easily, resulting in an overall more resonant drum. They are also very light weight and only require one small hole to be drilled into the shell for mounting, which further aids in allowing the drum to resonate. Each lug is plated with decorative chrome that looks great and adds protection to the aluminum body. Lastly, the threaded insert floats in the lug body allowing it to be adjusted toward or away from the shell while remaining parallel to the shell body. This ensures perfect tension rod alignment regardless of head seating.

Dual Adjustable Snare Wires

The FatCat Dual Adjustable Wires enable you to achieve just about any snare sound you want without having to change wires. This 24 strand carbon wire snare unit allows you to adjust the center 12 wires independently from the outer 12 wires. This makes it possible to tighten all of the wires with the strainer adjustment to get a tight snap sound, and then slightly loosen the middle 12 wires so snare remains sensitive to ghost notes and light rolls. You can finally have a tight sounding and sensitive snare sound at the same time!

Tight Screw Tension Rods

Every Archetype snare comes equipped with Tight Screws. These tension rods have a small nylon insert in the threading of the rod. The nylon insert grips the inside of the lug threading as it is being screwed in. This causes the tension rod to say in place and in tune no matter how hard you are playing. No more re-tuning your snare in the middle of a show!

Sleeved Washers

SLEEVED WASHERS are a Hendrix Drums product that has exploded in popularity over the past year. They may be small but they make a big difference. They eliminate all metal on metal contact between the hoop and tension rods, produce smoother and more accurate tuning, enable lower tuning without any "rod rattle", protect the chrome on hoops and rods, and reduce backing out of tension rods so the drum stays in tune for longer. SLEEVED WASHERS come as standard on all Archetype Series drums.

Need Help Choosing?

Talk with a specialist! We live, breathe, and love DRUMS ONLY. We are all a staff of drummers that can help you make the right choice. We have over 200 years combined experience between us, so you can buy with confidence at Drum Center of Portsmouth.

We will never give you the hard sell. Our mission is to help you find your sound and create mutually beneficial relationships that allow us to aid you in your musical journey. If you need help, give us a call!